Monday, August 31, 2009

Week One VocabularyAugust 31-September 4thYour spelling and vocabulary test will be on Friday, September 4. You will be responsible for knowing how to spell each word correctly and the definition for each word.

• Thermometer – a tool used to measure the temperature of air and liquids • Graduated Cylinder- a tool used to measure the amount of liquid accurately • Hand Lens- A hand-held tool that is used to magnify objects • Hypothesis- what you think the outcome of an experiment may be • Variable- anything that can change in an experiment • Control- to keep all the variables in an experiment the same except the one variable being tested • Matter- the material or “stuff” that everything is made of • Solid- a state of matter in which the substance has a definite shape and a definite volume • Liquid- a state of matter in which the substance has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container • Gas- a state of matter in which the substance takes both the shape and the volume of its container

Today we also got to practice using different science equipment! The students traveled around to different stations and explored! We measured, observed, classified, played with magnets, and looked through microscopes! My homeroom did not get to look in the microscopes, but I will have them set up tomorrow!It was a wonderful day of science exploration!Mrs. M

Saturday, August 29, 2009

We started class (yesterday!) by writing about a memory that a scent from our experiment reminded us of. As I walked around and read what the students were writing, there were some neat memories. Several kids were reminded of their grandparents, parents, trips, and places. I enjoyed reading these.After that, we cut out and made flash cards for different science equipment. The students wrote the title of the equipment and what it is used for on the cards as they viewed a slide show!Next week: we will be doing several science experiments, getting our first set of spelling/vocabulary words, and begin our unit on the states of matter!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Today we had our first experiment in the LAB! It was fun, despite the fact that Mrs. M woke up with NO voice! Ms. Al the Science Gal came and helped teach our lab! She is so great and helpful.Our lab today was called waft to whiff. We did this lab to teach scientists not to directly smell a substance, but to bring the fumes of the substance to their noses. My students did an awesome job! They are great "wafters"!

Here are the different scents of the day. Tomorrow the students will be asked to write about a memory that one of the flavors reminded them of. I can't wait to hear the stories. It is so fun to see how science can relate to all other things in our lives!Congrats to the fifth graders for success on their first lab of the year!Mrs. M

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Today we learned the safety guidelines for science class. We put them in our interactive journal, so that we never forget what they are.

We also observed this picture! This is definitely not a picture of my classroom because my students would never act this crazy! Can you find a student who IS following a safety rule?Tomorrow we have our first lab experiment, so in preparation for that, I gave a homework assignment! Students are to Waft the smell of their dinner up to their nose! Let's see who does it!

Our classroom sure does get messy while adding to our journals!But in Mrs. M's opinion, "A messy classroom is a happy classroom!"

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Today we decorated our interactive notebooks! We cut out pictures from magazines and glued them on the front! They turned out very cute. I am also pleased to say that the students did a great job at picking up after themselves. Not a single piece of magazine clipping was left on the floor! Good job guys!Our interactive Science journals will be put to use almost every day. Each assignment we do in class will be done in our journals or glued in when completed. At the end of the year, the students will be able to look back on all we have done and review! It is such a wonderful classroom tool!PS. I am also very impressed at your creativity!~parent note~The interactive journals will not be sent home. They will be kept in the classroom. Please feel free to come by any time and take a look at your child's journal!

Monday, August 24, 2009

The first day of School was awesome! We had to do "first day" things, but that is now out of the way! Now, we can start the learning! It was great to meet all of my students today! There were so many smiling faces this morning.The highlight of the day was getting new lockers! We learned how to open a combination. I must say that by the end of the day all of my students could open their lockers on their own! I was a proud teacher. Opening a locker with a combination is a big deal and now when you get to junior high, it will be so easy for you!

Locker tip: Remember to write your combo in your planner! To open your locker, turn the knob several times to reset the lock. Starting at zero turn the knob clockwise (to the right ) straight to your first number. For the second number, you will turn the know counter-clockwise (to the left) passed the number and then all the way around back to it. For the third number, turn the knob back clockwise directly to the number!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

It is the night before school starts. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I, like you, will probably not sleep well. I have picked out my outfit and prepared myself for the day ahead. I want you to know that I am already so thankful that you will be in my class this year. I know it will be wonderful. The first day of school is always interesting! We will hand out student planners, learn your new locker combinations, discuss rules and meet your friends. It is sure to go by fast and be enjoyable. I will see you tomorrow!Your science TeacherMrs. M

Dear Parents,I am blessed to be your child's teacher this year. Please check this blog daily to see what is going on in our class. I will update this blog in the late evenings. It will provide useful information including weekly spelling lists, test dates, pictures of experiments we do in class, some important assignments and other miscellaneous information. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I do!Mrs. M